In addition, Scouts can also earn prizes. Some councils allow units to take about a 5% higher profit if they do not take the prize program. Prize programs often work best with younger Scouts. Some councils also offer $50, $75, or $100 gift cards for every $1,000, $1,500, or $2,000 you sell.

Many councils give their Scouts a variety of ways to earn money with popcorn:

"Take Orders" - orders taken for later delivery.

"Show and Sell" - sales are often made in front of large grocery or other stores for immediate delivery.

"Show and Deliver" - like Take Orders except the Scout takes popcorn with him for immediate delivery.

"Selling Online" - Scouts to email a link to family and friends. Orders go directly from the company to anywhere in the US!

"Support the Troops" program where popcorn can be sent directly to our troops around the world!

Popcorn can bring more than fun and adventure. Scouts learn that with hard work they can save enough in their Individual Accounts to reach their goals. Scouts learn personal management. Self-reliance is learned from real-life experience not a lecture.

Contents

How it works

Packs and Troops often set their annual dues between $70 and $120 to cover registration, Boy's Life subscription, books, advancements, recharter, and basic needs. In one day, a Scout can sell enough popcorn to cover all of this and more!

A Scout who knows the Basic Sales Tips below can average $75 to $150 in sales per hour in Take Order sales, depending upon area. At a 33% profit, that is $25 to $50 an hour. Many jobs don't pay that well!

Pack Popcorn Plan

Without Popcorn many packs and troops could not exist. Day Camps and Summer Camps could cost twice as much.

Your Pack Popcorn Plan begins with your Pack Calendar. Your pack calendar is so busy for the next twelve months with trips, camps, museums, picnics, hikes, ball games, the Scouts will want to do it all!

Each family is asked to complete their Personal Popcorn Plan. You can give printed blank forms ahead of time or cut and paste the sentence below and email it to everyone in your pack:

The plan covers the basic costs of registration, Boy's Life, books, and then lets you pick your activities to show you how many sales you will need. It even helps you find your best 50 prospects! (Print copies for those that might forget.)

That's your first 40 sales! At an average of $20 each, that is your first $800 in less than a week.

___ Hair salon, insurance office, bank, etc. You give them your business. 3-10 sales?
___ Friends at your religious institution: 3 - 5 Sales?
___ Everyone you have sold anything to in the past. Did you keep their names and numbers? 1 - 50 Sales or more.
___ The next 25 neighbors in each direction. (60% should buy!)

That's 40 to 100+ easy sales! At $20 each, that's $800 to $2,000 in sales! You can make $260 to $660 to pay unit dues with the rest going into your Individual Account.

Target Your Times

⃞ "Sell early, sell often." - Start selling as soon as you can, preferably before school starts and everyone else is selling something.

⃞ Once school starts in the fall, everyone will be selling something,. Get to as many people as you can before school starts.

⃞ Saturday morning is often the best time.

⃞ Saturday afternoon is next best.

⃞ Sunday afternoon is very good.

⃞ Sunday evening is good.

⃞ Weekday evenings after 5:30 can be good as well.

Target Your Uniform

⃞ Wear your uniform shirt, hat, and shorts if possible.

⃞ Cubs, wear your vests. They love your patches!

Target Your Territory

⃞ Start with your own friends, family, and neighborhood if it is safe.

⃞ Target safe neighborhoods likely to buy.

⃞ Leave “Sorry I missed you” notes. Some will call you back or remember when you come back.

⃞ Give Thank You notes asking for additional orders.

⃞ Keep a copy of forms you turn in as a backup.

⃞ Ask them to pay by check when they place the order. It is much harder to get the money the second time.

⃞ Ask if they can pay by check so you don't have to carry much cash.

⃞ Save your names and phone numbers so you will know who to ask & who to avoid next year.

Show and Sell

Show and Sell opportunities are everywhere! Walmart is just one of a list of major retailers and grocery stores that often allow Scout units to sell in front of their stores for immediate delivery. In one Saturday, your unit might sell $1,500 in popcorn at a single store!

When you plan your Show and Sells, consider these opportunities:

Do you have a Walmart or other major retailers in your area?

Could you have a stand at festivals, car shows, and other events in your area?